Oakland Airport Redevelopment Under Fire from Environmental Group

An environmental group called Communities for Better Environment has filed a lawsuit against the Port of Oakland. They say the Environmental Impact Report for the Oakland Airport's terminal redevelopment doesn't fully consider the harm it could cause to East Oakland communities. These communities are mostly Black and Latino and already face high rates of asthma. The lawsuit wants the court to stop the project until these issues are addressed. The group's main concern is air quality. They point out that the project could increase nitrogen oxide levels by 63% over 2019 levels. This can make asthma worse for people living near the airport. They also worry about increased traffic and noise pollution, which can affect health in many ways, like higher rates of diabetes and lower school performance for kids. The Port of Oakland wants to build a new terminal to replace the old one from the 1960s. They say it's needed to meet growing demand and make the airport safer and more efficient. But the environmental group says the plan doesn't follow all the rules set by the California Environmental Quality Act. This law requires developers to tell people about all the possible environmental effects of their projects. While the port says they've done studies and talked to the community, the environmental group disagrees. They think the project could have serious health impacts that haven't been fully considered. This makes the lawsuit a big deal because it might delay or even stop the terminal redevelopment until these issues are fixed.